Dampening device for plate cylinders in offset-process printing presses



March 31, 1931.

S. MOE ET AL DAMPENING DEVICE FOR PLATE CYLINDERS IN OFFSET PROCESSPRINTING PRESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1929 INVENTO ,8 1

IVERT MOE. ,S'IGURDAMOE.

March 31, 1931. s, MOE T AL DAMPENING DEVICE FOR PLATE CYLINDERS INOFFSET PROCESS PRiNTING PRESSES Filed Nov. 18, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N1TORS. S/vm r M95. 5/0 Una/7.15405.

, 'TORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1931 SIVERT MOE AND BIGURD A. MOE, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS DAMPENING DEVICE FOR PLATE CYLI NDERS INOFFSET-PROCESS PRINTING PRESSES Application filed November 18, 1923.Serial No. 407,824.

This invention relates to offset process printing presses, andparticularly to means for dampening the plate cylinders thereof.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple,practicable and etlicient device for applying nn'iistnre to the platecylinder in the form of a very fine spray or mist.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a simple and novelconstruction and arrangement whereby the application of moisture tovarious portions of the cylinder may be controlled as desired.

,ttnother object of the invention is to provide automatically actuatedmeans for con trolling the application of moisture in a manner toprevent its entering the gap or open portion formed in the face of theplate cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to proride a structure whereby thearea of the cylinder to which the moisture is applied may be varied asdesired, and wherein any excess or moisture resulting from the operationof the device may be returned to its source of supply.

A still further object of the invention is to improve devices of thecharacter disclosed in sundry details hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One embodiment of the invention is shown for illustrative purposes inthe accompanying drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a sectional elevationthrough a portion of an offset process printing press illustrating theapplication of our improved cylinder dampening device thereto, and takenapproximately as indicated by the line 1 -1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view illustrating substantially the arrangement ofparts shown in F ig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional e evat-ion of a portion ofFig. 1, illustrating a changed position of the automatically actuatedmeans for preventing the moisture from entering the gap or open portionformed in the face of the plate cylinder.

Fig. 4. is a side elevation of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the spray nozzles and its supportingbracket.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the nozzle and bracket illustrated inFig. 5 and taken as indicated by the line 6-6 thereof.

In the accompanying drawing only so much of an offset process printingpress has been shown as is thought necessary for a clear understandingof the present invention, and, in the illustrative embodiment, comprisesa plate cylinder 10 to the outer surface of which an etched plate 11(Fig. 2) is attached, the said cylinder being provided with a gap oropening 12 in its periphery to admit of the positioning of the clampingor other suitable means (not shown) within the body of the cylinder 10etched plate thereto.

Suitably positioned in a manner to co'opcrate with the plate 11 are aplurality of inking rollers 13 (Fig. l) for applying inks o'f ditl'erentcolors to said plate, andyas is We understood in printing presses of theoffset process type, a blanket cylinder or roller (not shown) isprovided, which is adapted also to co-opcrate with the plate 11 in amanner to receive the ink applied to the plate and transfer it to thepaper or other material to be printed.

The structure above described being comnoon in offset process printingpresses, further detailed showing has been omitted from the drawings tofacilitate the showing of features embodying the present invention.

For dampening the plate 331, as is C( nmon practice in the" operation ofprinting presses of the character described, we have devised a novelconstruction and arrangement of elements for applying water to the plate11 and cylinder 10 in the form of a very fine or mist, which consists ofa tube 17 having a closed end portion 18 and'having its opposite or openend portion 19 connected, by means of a hose or pipe 20, with an aircompressor or other suitable means for supplying air under pressure tothe tube 17.

Suitably spaced longitudinally along one side ofthe tube 17 are aplurality of outlet ports 21, clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6, andadju-stably mounted for securing the spray on the tube 17 at inter valscorresponding to the spacing of the ports 21, are a plurality ofbrackets 2 adapted to be secured to the tube 17 in fixed relationthereto by means of clamps 23 and clamps in screws 24.

uitably mounted with respect to the tube 17, referably in lugs 22aformed on the brac ets 22, are a plurality of preferably short pipes ornozzles 25 communicating with bores 26 formed in the lugs 22a, the lowerend portions of the bores being submerged in the water of a supply tankor reservoir 27 mounted on cross bars 28 suitably positioned in a pairof frame members 29, the upper or discharge ends of the nozzles 25 beingpositioned ad'acent the air outlet ports 21 and substantia y in theplane of passage of the air discharged from said ports, in a manner tocause the air under pressure from the orts 21 to pass over or across theopen end 0 the nozzle 25 in a direction substantially at right angles tothe axial line of the nozzle, thereby creating a vacuum at the upper endof the nozzle for drawing water from the tank 27 and forcing it inthe,form of a fine spray or mist against the cylinder 10 and late 11.For

reventing the entrance of oreign matter into the bores 26 the submergedor lower end portions of the bores may be covered with strainers orscreens 30 of very fine mesh, thereby protecting the nozzles 25 againstcloggin and consequent interference with the eflicient operation of thedevice.

For controlling the passage of water through the bores 26, each of thebrackets 22 is provided with a valve chamber 31, shown, in the presentinstance, as extending substantially transversely to the axial line ofthe bore 26 and communicatin therewith, the said chamber bein adapted toreceive the lower or inner en of a longitudinally movable valve 32having screw threaded enga ement with t e bracket 22, whereby the va vemay be adjusted into or out of co-operative relationship with the bore26. In as much as the valves 32 are mounted in a manner to be operatedindependently of each other, it will be observed from the foregoingdescription that the application of moisture to various portions 0 theplaten may be effectively and selectively controlled, or, if desired,may be shut off entirely merely by manipulating the valves 32 to adjusttheir inner end portions into a position to close the bore 26 andprevent the passage of water therethrough.

For preventing the entrance of atmospheric pressure to the bores 26packing rings 33 of resilient material, such, for example, as rubber orthe like,are positioned, while under compression between portions of thebrackets 22 as in slots or notches 34 formed in the brackets, and in amanner to surround the stems of the valves 32.

For preventing moisture from entering the gap or opening 12 in the platecylinder 10 uring the operation of the machine, a plurality of deflectormembers or plates 35 and 36 are adjustably secured to oscillatingsupporting shafts or bars 37 and 38, respectively,

by means of split brackets 39, the'said shafts For connecting thedeflector plates 35 and j 36 in a manner to cause them to movesimultaneously away from and toward each other to permit or prevent theapplication of moisture to the plate cylinder 10, the shaft 37 isprovided adjacent one of its end portions with a downwardly extendingarm 43 adjustably secured to the shaft 37 and having its lower endportion forked as indicated at 44 in a manner to receive a sliding block4;} pivotally mounted on a stud 46 adjacent the upper end of an arm 47adjustably secured to the shaft 38 on which the lower deflector plate 36is mounted.

For oscillating the shafts 37 and 38 in their bearings in a manner toactuate the deflector plates 35 and 36 is an arm 48, adjustably secured,preferabl to one of the end portions of the shaft 3 the u per or freeend of the arm 48 being pivot y connected to one end of a link 49, theopposite end of which is-pivotally connected to the upper or free end ofan arm 50, pivotally mounted at 51 on an extension 52 formed on one ofthe supplemental frame members 41. Rotatably mounted on one side of thearm 50 and intermediate the ends thereof is an, anti-friction roller 53adapted to engage the surface of the plate cylinder 10in a radial planepassing through the cylinder withi the longitu inal limits of the gap orpenin 12 formed in the cylinder as shown in igs 2 and 3, or, in otherwords, ositioned in a manner to enter the gap 12 w en the open side-ofthe c linder is adjacent the roller or dampening evice, as illustratedin Fig. 3,

and for urging the roller toward the cylinder to insure the roperfunctioning of the lates 35 and 36 suitable resilient means, suc forexample, as a spring 54, ma be emplo ed, and as shown in Figs. 1 to 4inclusive 0 the drawings, may be positioned around a rod 55 pi,votallyconnected at 56 to the arm 50 and slidably mounted in a lug 57 formed'onone of the upwardly extending bearing portions and a shoulder58 formedon the rod 55 in a manner to urge the roller 53 and upper end-1:;

of the arm 50 toward the plate c linder 10,

It willbe obscrvedfrom the oregoing description that as the gap 12 oropen side of the cylinder approaches the moistening devicethe roller 53,by reasonjof its longitudinal'position with respect to the plate cylinethe gap'lQ and through the connections of the arm 50 wit-h the deflectorplates 35 and.

der and the'urging of the spring 54 will enter 36 will cause the platesto assume the position illustrated in Fig. 3, thereby causing the sprayor mist from the nozzles to be deflected onto the plate 36 by which themoisture will'be returned to the supply tank 27. This position of theplates and 36 will be maintained during the passage of the gap 12 pastthe moistening device and as the forward edge of the plate cylindersurface engages the roller'53 in a manner to move it outwardly, theshafts 37 and 38 will be rocked in a manner to move the plates 35 and 36to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby permitting the spray or mistfrom the nozzles 25 to be directed against the plate 11 secured to thesurface of the cylinder 10. The rod is provided at its outer or free endportion with screw threads adapted to receive an adjusting nut and locknut 59 and 60, respectively, by which the roller 53 may be adjustedtoward or away from the center of the plate cylinder 10 in a manner tocause a. reater or lesser movement of the roller 53 w en engaged by thesurface of the cylinder, thereby providing an opening of greater orlesser degree between the co-operating edges of the plates 35 and '36,thus varying the area of the plate cylinder surface ex osed to theapplication of moisture from t e spraying device.

It will be observed from the fliregoing description that by reason ofthe mobility of both the upper and lower detector plates 35 and 36', theplates may be actuated with a relatively small movement-of the roller 53which contributes materially to the smoothness of operation of thedevice. more, that the relative adjustability'of the plates 35 and 36,arms 43, 47, 48 and 50, to-

gether withthe roller 53 provides means for producing most desirable andeflicient cooperation of the forward or co-operating edges of theplates.

For preventing the accumulation of moisture adjacent the forward edge ofthe plate 35, a longitudinally extending bafile 61 of wide V-shapedcross section is secured to the plate 35 in a manner to extend from apoint adjacent theforward edge of the plate to a point substantiallytoward the rear edge thereof, the forward leg portion 61a of the baffleproviding a surface down which water from the forward edge of the plate35, when Furtherin contact with the co-operating edge of the rom; whichit will drop onto the lower deflector plate 36 and be returned therebyto the sup ly tank 27. t

,The ower front edge of the top plate 35 adjacent the cylinder 10 isprovided with an upstanding flange portion'*62 which may be formed, asshown, b an extension of the pottion 61a of the bafiih 61 for reventingthe accumulation of water by capilllary attraction on top of the plate35, which would be most objectionable, in that, if sufiicient wateraccumulated it would be deposited on the cylinder 10 in quantitiesundesirable in a dev ce of the character described. In the presentinstance any water that might, by any chance accumulate on top oftheplate 35 will be drained laterally to the side edges of the plate andon to the plate 36 and thence to the supply tank 27. i t

. or confining thev spray or mist adjacent the surface of the platecylinder 10 a late or guard 63 may be suita' ly. positione adjacent thecylinder above the co-operatin edges of the plates 35 and 36, andsupported in such position by brackets 64 secured to the su plementalframe members 41.

or protecting the sprayin device and supplytank 27 tromthe accumu ationof dust or the like, and for preventing foreign matter from entering thespray applied to, the, plate cylinder 10, a cover member orhood 65 maybe provided andlsecured to a supporting frame member 66 piv'btallymounted at 67 on ears or lugs 68 carried by the upwardly extendingbearing portions 40 of H supplemental frame members 41, the en portionsof the members 66 being extended beyond the pivotal connections '67, asindicated at 69 (Figs. 1 and 2) in a manner to en age the underside ofthe shaft 37 and provide a sup port for the hood 65 in its 0 erativeposition. Operatively connected to t manner to move therewith is a plate70 adapted to co-operate with theupper deflector plate 35 in a manner toform a continuation of the throat formed by the side walls 42"and plates35 and 36, thereby means for efiectually irecting the spray or moisturetoward the plate cylinder 10. It will be observed from the foregoingspecification that the I vides a device for ap ying moisture to platecylinders in a form 0 exceptionally fine spray or mist, and wherein theapplication ofmoisture to various portions of the cylinder may becontrolled. Also that our invention provides automatically actuatedmeans for preventing,

gap for'me Obviously, the present invention is not" limited to theprecise construction and are hood 65 in a roviding additional a,

lit

lpresentinvention promounted on said frame an rangement shown anddescribed, as the same may be variously modified. I Moreover, all thefeatures of the invention need not be used conjointly, as the same maybe used to advantage in variously different combinations andsubcombinations.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: I

1. In an offset process printing press, the combination with a rotatableplate cylinder having a gap formed in theperiphery thereof, of a devicefor spraying moisture on said cylinder, and a plurality ofmovable-co-opcrating members for preventing the entrance of moistureinto said gap as the cylinder is rotated.

2. In an offset process printing press, the

combination with a rotatable plate cylinder having a gap formed in theperiphery thereof, of a device for spraying moisture on said cylinder,and a plurality of automatically actuated co-operating members forpreventing the entrance of moisture into said gap as the cylinder isrotated.

'3. In an offset process rinting press, the combination with a rotahleplate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery thereof, of a devicefor sprayin moisture on said cylinder, and a plurality o automaticallyactuated members movable in opposite directions with respect to eachother for prevent-' ing the entrance of moisture into said gap as' thecvlinder is rotated.

4. In an offset process printing press, the combination with a rotatableplate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery thereof, of a devicefor spraying moisture on said cylinder, a plurality of pivotally mountedautomaticall actuated co-operating members adapted to e positionedbetween said cylinder and spraying device and movable in opositedirections with respect to each other or preventing the entrance ofmoisture into said gap as the cylinder is rotated, and means co-operablewith said cylinder for actuating said member.

5. In an offset process printing press, the combination with a rotatableplate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery thereof, of a frame,a device mounted on said frame for sprayin moisture on said cylinder, aplurality of deflector lates movably cl co-operable'in a manner toprevent the entrance of moisture into said gap, and means carried by oneof said plates for' preventing the accumulation of moisture adjacent theedge of said upper plate;

6. In an offset process printing press, the (ombination with a rotatableplate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery thereof, of a frame,a device mounted on said frame for spraying moisture on said cylinder,upper and lower deflector plates pivotally mounted on said frame andco-operable with each other in a manner to prevent the entrance ofmoisture into said gap, means carried by the upper plate for preventingthe accumulation of mpisture on the edge of said upper plate, and meansco-operable with said cylinder for actuating said plates.

7.. In an offset process printing press,the

combination with a rotatable plate cylinder having a gap formed in theperiphery thereof, of a frame, a device mounted on said frame forspraying moisture on said cylinder, upper and lower deflector platespivotally mounted on said frame and co-operable with each other in amanner to prevent the entrance of moisture into said gap, means foradjusting the position of said plates with respect to each other, meansco-operable with said cylinder for actuating said plates, and

the accumulation of moisture adjacent, the.

edge thereof, means for preventing the accumulation of moisture on topor said plate, means for ad usting the position of said plates withrespect to each other, means pivotally mounted on said frame andco-operable with said cylinder for actuating" said plates, and means foradjusting said actuating means with respect to said plates.

9. In an offset-process printing press, the combination with a rotatableplate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery thereof, of a frame,a device mounted on said frame for spraying moisture on said cylindersaid device having a source of water supply associated therewith, aplurality of supporting bars rotatably mounted in said frame, an upperdeflector plateadjustably secured to the other of said bars fordirecting moisture toward said cylinder and for returning excessmoisture to said source of supply, co-operating arms adj ustably securedto the respective bars, and means co-operable with said cylinder andadjustably connected to one of said bars for rocking the bars in amanner to cause said plates to move away from each other and permitmoisture to be sprayed onto said cylinder and to approach each other ina manner to prevent moisture from entering said gap as the cylinder isrotated.

10. In an offset process printing press, the combination with arotatable plate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery there of,of a frame, a device mounted on said 1,7ee,seo

frame for spraying moisture on said cylinder, upper and lower deflectorplates pivotally mounted on said frame, a source of water supplyassociated with said spraying device, side walls co-operable with saidupper and lower deflector plates in a manner to form a throat fordirecting moisture from said spraying device toward said cylinder, and ahood ada ted to be positioned over said spraying evice and said sourceof supply.

11. In an offset process printing press, the combination with a rotatale plate cylinder having a gap formed in the periphery thereof, of aframe, a device mounted on said frame for sprayin moisture on saidcylinder, upper,

and lower eflector plates pivotally mounted on said frame, a source ofwater supply asso-- ciated with said spraying device, side Walls movablewith one of said plates and co-operable with both said upper andlowerdeflector plates in a manner to form a throat for directing moisturefrom said spraying device toward said cylinder, a hood ivotally mountedon said frame and adapte to be ositioned over said spraying device andsai source of supply, means carried by said hood and cooperable with oneof said deflector plates in a manner to form a continuation of saidthroat, and means co-operable with said cylinder for actuating saidplates.

12. In an offset process printing rose, the combination with a platecylinder aving a gap formed therein, means for applying moisture to saidcylinder comprising a. source of water sup 1y, a plurality of nozzlescommunicating t ierewith, means for directin air under pressure past thedischarge en of said nozzles for drawing water from said source ofsupply and directing it toward said cylinder in the form of a fine sprayor mist, means for controlling the passage of water to said nozzle, anda plurality of pivotally mounted automatically actuated members forpreventing the entrance of moisture into said gap as the cylinder isrotated.

13. In an offset process printing press, the combination of a platecylinder having a gap formed therein, means for applying moisture tosaid cylinder comprising a source of water supply, a'plurality ofnozzles communicating therewith, means for directing air under pressurepast the discharge ends of said nozzles for drawing water from saidsource of supply and directing it toward said cylinder in the form of afine spray or mist, means 'for controlling the passage of water to saidnozzles comprising a plurality of brackets adjustably mounted on saidair directing means and havin bores formed therein communieating witsaid nozzles and said source of water supply, filtering means positionedadjacent the receiving ends of said bores, valve stems adjustablymounted in said brackets and co-operable with said bores for controlofNovember,

ling the passage of water therethrough, re-

